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HomeToys Tips
and Tricks Contest |
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Entry 1 - Zoomkat's "El
Cheapo" video/audio webcam switcher - Entry 2 - Wire Gauge Caution Entry 3 - Speaker Mounting Options Flexibility Entry 4 - Automation of Home Accent Lighting Entry 5 - Remote X-cam to see the other side of the wall |
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| Entry 1 - Zoomkat's
"El Cheapo" video/audio webcam switcher
Si Ballenger (aka zoomkat) shb@comporium.net Rock Hill, SC |
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Homemade web controlled parallel port video switcher made from Radio shack parts. I use with the Ivista webcam software (check ebay for surplus 3.1 version, or 60 day demo via www.techtv.com ).
This one is set up for 3 cam video/audios in and one out to capture card and audio card. The schematic shows for one parallel pin to switch a cam video/audio on/off using 2 resistors and 2 transistors. The combined output of 3 of these are connected at the video out RCA connectors for single separate outputs to the video and audio cards. Only one parallel port pin is made high at a time using the DOS relay.exe program so the video/audio signals don't interfere with each other. The same setup should be able to switch up to 8 video/audio inputs (using 74HTC259 chips ($1.29, 275-2868), you could switch 16, 32, etc cams).
Use "zoomkat's amazing batchfile" in the ivista webcam cgi folder to execute the DOS relay.exe file from the below software source (the windows relay.exe is very handy for initial testing and setup). A helper application will probably be needed to use the parallel port with NT/2k/xp (try userport.exe, available free on the net). Nothing is guaranteed about this (but mine works), so you will have to experiment like I have. YMMV!!! Below are sources of the software and some additional info on the setup.
Demo page (as of 4/10/02): http://www.geocities.com/zoomkat/ppswitcher-demo.htm
The parts (catalog prices, in store may be a little higher):
parallel port connector ($1.69, 276-1547)
plastic hood for the connector ($1.69, 276-1549)
4 conductor phone wire (12', $1.80, 278-1310)
6 NPN transistors (15 for $2.49, 276-1617)
3 4.7k resistors ($1.00, 271-1330) for the video transistor
3 10k resistors ($1.00, 271-1335) for the audio transistor
small mounting board ($1.29, 276-150)
8 RCA connector mount ($2.29, 274-374)
stereo patch cable ($4.99, 42-2351)
Total: ~$19.00
Info sites
website: http://www.geocities.com/zoomkat/ppswitcher.htm
Windows and Dos software: http://www.kitsrus.com/zip/k74software.zip
A similar setup: http://www.kitsrus.com/pdf/k74.pdf
Extra info: http://www.armory.com/~rstevew/Public/LPT/parallel.gif
Extra info: http://www.mattjustice.com/parport/
Zoomkat's main page: http://www.geocities.com/zoomkat/
The basic how-to-do:
1). Get the parts and
build the hardware. The parallel switcher is a simple one transistor/resistor
per cam video/audio switched. If you use the generic NPN radio shack
transistors, lay one down with the flat side down and the 3 leads sticking out
to the left. To the center pin, you connect a 4.7k resistor for video (a 10k for
audio). The other side of the resistor is connected to the parallel port pin
wire. The top transistor lead is connected to the center of the RCA connector
coming from the cam video (audio), and the bottom lead is connected to the
center of the RCA connector going to the video capture device (audio card line
in). All the bottom wires of the video (audio) transistors are connected
together and connected to the video (audio) out center pin of the RCA connector.
All the grounds (RCA plug outside) are connected together, keeping audio and
video separated. Note that there are no connections made to the ground side of
the parallel port connector (that would ground out the video and audio). For
audio and video from a cam, you make two transistor setups that operate as a
pair. The resistors for each are both connected to the same parallel port pin so
they operate at the same time. Use the windows relay.exe to check out the
operation of the parallel pins.
2). Load the ivista webcam software on your computer. Put a copy of the DOS relay.exe program in the ivista cgi folder. Make copys of "zoomkat's amazing batch file" for each parallel port pin you want to control. Copy the below example and paste in notepad. Modify for the lpt port and pin you want it to control. Place them in the ivista cgi folder.
3). Make a webpage to access your video/audio feed. You can go to the above demo page, click on view source, copy the source, and paste in notepad. Modify for your IP address and control links, and save as an .htm file. Place in your ivista webcast folder, or place on another web server.
4). To run the batch files in the ivista cgi folder, make a link to them like below. The batch file is coded to tell the client browser to not update its current web page, so the video feed won't be interrupted when the control link is clicked.
http://zoomkat.d2g.com/cgi/cable.bat
5). Have fun! Also see Zoomkat's main page for info on how to pan/tilt your web cams.
=== zoomkat's amazing batch file (cable.bat, lpt2, pin 6 )===================
@echo off
echo status: 204 zoomkat's amazing batch file
echo.
echo.
@if errorlevel 1 goto end
relay/2 10
:end
cls
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 Completed 3 cam audio/video switcher. |
 The works close up |
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Entry 2 - Wire Gauge Caution
Chris Linthicum chrislinthicum@comcast.net Severna Park, MD USA |
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Some folks think the bigger and thicker the audio wire, the better. Not necessarily the case, if you plan to connect the speaker/audio wire to devices such as the following:
-volume control switch
-source/amp selector switch
-speaker selector (Niles SLV-6 or similar)
Check the device for gauge compatibility first, before buying spools of heavy gauge wire. Some devices and switches will only accept 16-18 gauge wire. If you run 12 or 14 gauge wire, you may spend twice as much time on the installation process trying to trim or cram the large gauge wire into a small hole !
| Entry 3 - Speaker
Mounting Options Flexibility
Chris Linthicum chrislinthicum@comcast.net Severna Park, MD USA |
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More than often a home owner doesn't quite know what type of speakers will
eventually be purchased and installed in a whole house home entertainment
system. Provide
the home owner some flexibility, don't force them to make up their mind up
front. Simply install a standard flat cover plate in the wall (align height with
std, adjacent power outlets), loop the audio wire thru the backbox and then
continue the wire up the wall to a height of about 5-6' aff (above finished
floor). Leave the wire coiled in the wall and hidden behind the finished
drywall.
This way, if the home owner decides that they just want to use small book shelf speakers or floor standing speakers, they can simply remove the cover plate and access the audio wires in the backbox. OR if they decide that they want to install wall mounted or in-wall speakers, they can cut a hole in the drywall around the 5-6' aff mark and find the buried audio wires available for the speaker connection.
Be sure that you take photos of the installation and leave the homeowner with
the photos and drawings explaining the hidden wires. This way they always know
what's in the wall, how to get to it, and what options are available to them
after you leave.
| Entry 4 -
Automation of Home Accent Lighting
Chris Linthicum chrislinthicum@comcast.net Severna Park, MD USA |
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How many accent lights do you have in your home? You've probably got several over and/or under counter kitchen cabinet light, plus Christmas lights, seasonal lights on indoor plants/trees, etc. One day I timed my wife as she turned ON all the various lights in our kitchen and family room:
-Over Cabinet Lights (4)
-Under Cabinet Light below TV (1)
-Stereo/AV Nook Accent Light (1)
-Accent Lights on Corner tree (1)
-Lights under Bookcase (1)
It took her about ten minutes to go thru the two rooms and flip ON all the switches. In some case, where they weren't connected to existing switches or toggles, she had to physically plug them into an available outlet.
I thought to myself "There's got to be a better and more efficient way to do this!?"
X-10 is the answer. I remembered that I had an X-10 installed security system with lighting automation ability. So, I simple installed a few X-10 controllable duplex power outlets near each of the accent lights and set them all for the same house code and unit code. Then I just told her "Touch Lights On 3 from the comfort of the couch using the remote control and watch what happens!"
The rest is automation history.
COMPONENTS
X-10 Duplex Outlets (available via web or Radio Shack)
COST
$15-20 per device or added outlet
Assumes you have an existing X-10 controller
| Entry 5 - Remote
X-cam to see the other side of the wall Arthur J. Dustman IV adustman@virtua.org Atco, NJ 08004 USA |
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Just recently, while doing some work on my house, I came across a great idea for an x-10 battery pack I received free with one of my orders. I many times am working alone running wires for my automation system or doing something on one side of a wall and can't see what is going on on the other side of the wall or don't know if my wire fish is where I want it.
So I have the x-cam attached to the battery pack as a mobile camera. I also have a small tripod that I can use if needed. I bought a small color LCD TV and a battery holder from an electric supply store on the internet (5" TV screen). I put the x-10 camera receiver module and TV screen in a large plastic project box and I have the receiver antenna sticking out so I can adjust it. The battery pack holds 8 "AA" batteries to power the receiver and TV. (I use rechargeable) .Now I have an extra pair of eyes I can put anywhere around the house and I can see the image from anywhere I want. I also put a metal hanger on the box to hang it from a rafter, or stand it up for easy viewing.
It's the greatest tool I ever had. Last week I wanted to adjust the dampers for my hvac system in the house. I placed the camera in the room I thought I was adjusting and taped a piece of tissue paper on the vent. I went into the basement and adjusted the damper. Presto! I saw the tissue paper start waving in the air current. I knew exactly which vent I am adjusting and how much pressure is coming through.
The same technique is also useful to identify circuit breakers and outlets. You can put a lamp on the circuit you want off and put the camera on it. Take the monitor with you to the breaker box and you will know for sure when you turn off the correct breaker.
In addition, I sometimes have questions about "how to" do something in the house. Instead of describing the problem, I just take my camera and transmit the images via x-10's x-ray vision and the internet to my father (wise an all knowing) for advice. Now I have both an expert available and a remote set of eyes!
Components and cost
X-10 camera w/ receiver ~$70
X-10 battery pack free, normally ~$20
Plastic project box ~$12
5" TV screen ~$135
battery holder ~$15
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